Saudi Arabia and Malaysia sign MOU in tourism
aTP- Arab tourism portal- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism recently, and the Cabinet subsequently approved the signing of the agreement on 18 May 2015.
The MOU was signed on Monday, 16 May 2016, at the Malaysian Tourism Ministry headquarters by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, President of SCTH and Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Malaysian Minister of Tourism and Culture, in the presence of the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Malaysia, Fahad bin Abdul Aziz Al Rasheed, in addition to a number of officials of the Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia and the Saudi embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
The memorandum of understanding provides for exchange of information and expertise between the two countries in respect of regulations of tourism services and activities and their economic and social impact, in addition to urban heritage, handicraft, and their investment in tourism development, hotel and tourism resorts management and regulations related to tourism accommodation facilities, tourism trips, tour guides and tourism statistics.
The memorandum of understanding on the other hand stresses on the importance of coordination between the two countries in the management of major tourism destinations, development and promotion of tourism destinations, facilities, and sites.
Additionally, the MOU covers coordination in the areas of tourism information, conventions and exhibitions, tourism investment, and tourism events and festivals.
In a press statement following the signing ceremony, President of SCTH, commended the partnership between the two countries in the areas of tourism, antiquities, cultural heritage and handicraft.
Sultan said, “The Kingdom Saudi Arabia has been and continues to be a rich country, even in the period before the oil, as it is a heir to a rich and ancient civilization since the ancient times.” and added that Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront of a global donor, and the first Islamic country that focusses on the development of Islamic people everywhere.
President of SCTH in his statement said, “We appreciate in the Kingdom, the Malaysia’s experience in developing the country and preserving its values,” adding that, Malaysia is a success story of balanced development and progress in different areas and all directions.
President of SCTH said. “Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia will cover various areas, including exchange of museum exhibits through displaying relics related to Islamic history in the Kingdom’s Islamic Art Museum in the Kingdom as well as displaying a number of Islamic Art Masterpieces Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur in addition to Haj History Museum in Makkah, documenting stories of Muslims during the Haj seasons, displaying the story of the emergence of Islam in the Kingdom as the land of the successive civilizations.”
President of SCTH in his statement disclosed that, Malaysia is set to be the first country with which KSA will test “After Umra Program”. For this purpose, several offices will be established in Malaysia to implement the initiative “Saudi Arabia – the Destination of Muslims”.
The two parties will meet to determine the sites that Malaysians may wish to visit in the Kingdom in order to provide them with detailed information about them.
The Kingdom will also utilize Malaysia’s experience in the development of handicraft in the Kingdom.
Malaysian Minister of tourism and culture expressed interest in the Kingdom’s experience in traditional industries sector development, particularly putting the handicraft in its correct place, rather than it just being a career for the poor, and the introduction of crafts in furniture for hotels and interior designs.
The two parties agreed that Riyadh and Jeddah cities to host the Malaysian exhibition for handicraft, accompanied by a training workshop for Saudi artisans. Emphasis was also to stimulate tourism investment between the two countries.
Noteworthy, President of SCTH had arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday 15th May 2016, on a four-day official visit to Malaysia at the invitation of Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Malaysian Minister of Tourism and Culture.
president of SCTH invited the Minister of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia to attend the opening ceremony of the “Roads of Arabia” exhibition in China and also invited to attend the Okaz Festival and the Festival of Historic Jeddah.
